Look at me, I'm a pear!

Well hello there, internet.

I started this new blog because I need help. I need suggestions. I need motivation.

I was sidelined almost a year ago by the loss of my vision (I’m not going into that right now, you can read my regular blog for info). I was around 165 lbs. when I had a physical back in early 2008. I recently had another physical to make sure I’m safe for eye surgery later this month, and I found out that I’ve gone up...significantly. I’m sitting at 195 lbs. For a guy of 25 and 5’9(and a half!) this isn’t really the place I want to be at right now.

The problem:

Since the first eye surgery last December I’ve been pretty much confined to our small apartment. I can’t cross the street or walk anywhere safely for exercise. I can’t use the stairwells in the building to climb because people leave shit in them and if I fall, I’m boned. My eye surgeon has told me to avoid any activity that would make me strain, so that eliminates lifting weights, sit-ups, or anything like that. Also, I can’t do anything jarring, like running on a treadmill, jumping jacks (do people even do that anymore?) or play Dance Dance Revolution.

Also, since we live in a building with balsa-thin floors, I can’t make tons of noise for fear of triggering war flashbacks in the seniors who live under us.

So, you see my problem here.

The Equipment:

I have a bunch of exercise equipment, though most of it is Elaine’s. This is what I’ve got to work with:

-Elliptical trainer: This is my biggest asset, but I can’t use it for too long. Not because I physically can’t, but because the floor is uneven and it thumps quite heavily.

- Yoga mat: I guess I can do some stretches and things, but I’ve got the balance of an inebriated walrus. I guess it comes with time.

-This round thing with rubber stretchy handles: I have no idea what it does or how to use it. It is about the size of a Frisbee, and I guess you stand on it, holding the two rubber grips that extend from its sides, and twist? I’m just guessing here.

- A medicine ball? It’s this heavy, purple ball.

- Handles with a rubber loop on the other end: It’s T-shaped, with a handle on top (that looks like the handles on a pogo stick), and what appears to be a noose on the other side. For when you want to kill yourself, but still get fit?

-The Wheel of Terror: It’s a wheel about 8” in diameter with a steel handle on either side. I think you’re supposed to do push-ups with it, but I may be wrong. I just know I desperately want to ride it down a hill one day.

- I also have some nancy little 7lb weights.

The Diet:

I have been trying to eat better than I used to. I’ve all but cut out pop and most sugary drinks, any cookies or donuts or whatever, and anything that’s salty.

Since the surgery Elaine’s been the main cook in the apartment, and is also the one who goes to work all day. It’s unreasonable to expect her to make dinner every night after work, and unfortunately convenience has traditionally won over cooking at home. Within sight of our apartment is a McDonald’s, Tim Hortons, Pizza Pizza, Kelsey’s, a pub, and the mall food court. We realized this was kicking the shit out of our bank accounts and started planning our meals at home. We’ve been eating fresh food, avoiding processed products, and we’ve pretty much turned our eating habits around.

Since we stopped hitting up the McDo, I no longer have stabbing pains in my side, hooray! Same goes with the pop, though I pretty much kicked it a year or so ago, I’d get iced tea, which isn’t all that much better.

An average day now sees me eating the following:

Breakfast:

-Bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios with skim milk

-1-2 cups of coffee (home-brewed)

-Calcium + Vitamin D supplement (to counteract years of lactose intolerance and bone suckage)

Lunch:

-homemade bruschetta toasties (sliced baguette with a bit of olive oil, sliced tomatoes, spinach and a bit of goat cheese)

OR

Sandwich. I don’t use mayo, butter, or cheese (except for goat, sometimes). It’s usually got the ingredients of the bruschetta toasties.

Dinner:

- Angus burgers done on the Foreman grill (again, no cheese or mayo)

OR

- Pasta (with fresh tomatoes, basil/spinach, goat cheese)

- Salad (field greens, basic vinaigrette)

OR

-Same salad above with sliced chicken breast

That’s pretty much it. As far as snacks go, I eat raisins (or if I’m feeling saucy, Craisins!), or bananas or apples. Drink-wise I stick with water, cranberry juice, and coffee and beer (in moderation).

I might be willing to decrease my bread intake a bit, but if you know me personally you know that I don’t function well without it. Same goes with coffee, which I just drink black.

The Goal:

I’m not expecting a turnover like on The Biggest Loser. I don’t have the equipment, trainers, or temptations of immunity at next week’s weigh-in to bring me down by an unrealistic 10+ pounds in one week. I need some suggestions to set a reasonable goal, but my current is to lose 30 pounds by the time 2010 rolls around. I’m not expecting to get ripped or have Zac Efron’s abs by January (Elaine wishes), but I want to be able to wear my collection of wonderfully nerdy t-shirts without worrying about the presence of, for lack of a better word, moobs. I don’t like being able to wear my jeans without a belt, either.

So, what I need here is help. I need people to suggest things I can do to help lose the weight safely within my abilities. Presumably I’ll have better vision by early November, so I may be able to alter my program then. But for now, I’m stuck with what I’ve got. I’ll be posting my progress here as I go (and maybe on Twitter/Facebook), and I hope I can get your input on how to do things.

So, a little help here? Thanks everyone.